Hero
by syaoran no hime
Summary: Eriol plays hero to Tomoyo 5 yrs ago, ending in an incident that leads him to uneasy times with Tochan. Un?Fortunately, he's got friends to help him out. ExT!
1. Default Chapter

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Hero

This is dedicated to all E+T fans, especially to my idol, Ate Ekai and PHR Novelist, Ms. Rose Tan. I also wish to dedicate this fic to Kyteaura (how are you, friend?) and Mehrielle (did I get the name right? I hope so!) This is my graduation fic for all of you.

He could see it clearly. The chandelier hovering precariously above eleven-year-old Daidouji Tomoyo was slowly losing the bare threads of the rope it was hanging to.

"Watch out!!!" he yelled, his legs suddenly springing into action.

Tomoyo's eyes widened, as if she was an antelope about to be pounced on by the King of the Beasts.

He pushed her out of harm's way just as the hundred-pound chandelier crashed onto the makeshift stage.

But the noise…the commotion…

He couldn't care less for them.

Because he was shocked into immobility by the fact that his lips and Tomoyo's were locked, with him on top. The girl's frightened eyes were gaping at him.

"Earth to Eriol Hiiragizawa! Calling, calling! Yuhoo?" Akizuki Nakuru waved her hand in front of her master's face who looked like that he drifted into some God-made paradise again. She immediately knew why.

Spinel did too, as evident bt its snort. "Master Eriol, forgive me for saying this but you are such a space cadet!"

"Wow, really? Where's his rocket ship parked?" asked Nakuru in interest.

The feline ignored her. "Daidouji Tomoyo has already passed in front of you two point forty five seconds ago."

"Point forty six," corrected Kinomoto Sakura as she looked at her stopwatch.

"You're such a loser," said Li Syaoran, hitting Eriol on the back. "Why don't you just go right up to Daidouji and tell her that she never left your twisted little brain ever since _that_ incident when you were both eleven…er at least, she was. You're suppose to be Clow Reed junior, right? All-knowing, all-powerful, and all those crap?"

Eriol glared at him. "And you're a Clow descendant, right? And I don't remember you taking it easy with your confession to Sakura. If not for Daidouji-san's and my intervention, you will still be twiddling your little thumb, wondering when you'll get the nerves to get to first base with her."

Li's face flamed. "Hey, that's out of the topic! Besides, you _never_ helped! You-"

Sakura patted Eriol gently. "Eriol-kun, it's been 5 long years since that incident. Don't you think it's time to move on? I mean, it's been 5 years since you and Tomoyo-chan stopped talking, which is a shame, considering how close both of you were to each other in the past."

Eriol groaned. "Will you guys get off my case? You're trespassing on private affairs already!"

"Just like what you do best," retorted everyone.

He looked away. "Fine! But stop making such a fuss on my infatuation with her, ok?"

"Unrequited love," said Nakuru in mock pity while clicking her tounge.

"Stop that! I can always erase your existence!" threatened the all-powerful Clow reincarnation.

"Hah! Go ahead! I can always open my big mouth and blab to her your feelings!" snapped the all-too-sneaky servant of the not-so-all-powerful-anymore Clow reincarnation.

"Blackmailer!"

"Coward!" everyone jeered.

He scowled. "Geez, good God, you gave me the freedom to choose my friends and I didn't do it wisely. I'm sorry!"

"Well, you deserve it," said Sakura. "All it takes are three words…three one-syllabic words, and you can't even say them."

"Because," he said through gritted teeth. "Those three little words, Sakura dear, mean everything to me! Understand?"

"Completely," said Syaoran, who for the first time, finding that he could relate to his least favorite Tomoeda character. 

"But look here," said the feline. "Tomoyo Daidouji is not just some girl. She's beautiful, wealthy, bright and nice. Get it?"

"Don't you think I know those already?" he snapped back.

"What the talking cat means is that every XY-celled person in the campus wants her, so if you don't act now, someone else would," said Li.

Gee, that thought hit him only now. "OK, so what do you want me to do? Walk right up to her and scream at her face how much I worship the ground she walks on?"

"Major turn-off!" said Nakuru, wrinkling her nose in distaste. "I have an idea!" she said a minute later. "Let's create a situation where my master can confess without being out of place!"

Eriol frowned in concern. "Create? Situation?"

"Listen, back when you were eleven, you saved her right?" said Nakuru. "Then why don't you save her again? Play hero! Any woman will fall for those who got Superman complex, you know."

"Think that would work?" he asked in doubt. "And where will we get the goons?"

Sakura took out a Sakura card. "Do this look familiar?"

He sweatdropped. "Um…"

"You can't say no!" cried the former card captor. "Everything is ironed out to the very tiniest bit of detail!" _Or at least Nakuru says so._

She desperately wants to see her best friend and her Clow mentor together. She can see that they can make a really cute couple.

Li was skeptical, on the other hand.

Never trust a Hiiragizawa and his slaves. They all work in one peculiar way.

Always not fair. Always not safe.

And as he looked with narrowed eyes on the giggling Nakuru and his girlfriend who suddenly decided to be a matchmaker…he sighed.

Where Sakura goes, he goes.

__

I'm sorry, Daidouji. I'm not a good friend, he thought as he sighed again.

****

Will Nakuru and Sakura's plan work? Will Li's point of view on Hiiragizawa and associates change? Will Eriol ever find peace of mind now that his friends are starting to take revenge on his Clow Reed mode in CCS Season 3 by meddling with his lovelife? And when will Syaoran no Hime update this again? Will this be another hiatus ficcie? When will these interrogations end? These and more on the next chapter of…Hero.

(loud applause of "hakot" crowd heard)


	2. 2

Chapter 2

"So this is very simple," said Nakuru, wrapping an arm around her master who still looked very, very doubtful. "All Sakura-san and I have to do is to release the Create card and make some goons who will threaten to kidnap Mistress Tomoyo. Then you charge into the scene and-"

"Do some karate stuff?" guessed Eriol wryly.

"Yeah! Kickboxing, wrestling, whatever works for your skinny frame." Upon seeing her master's lethal look, she shrugged. "Sorry, but the truth always hurts, doesn't it?"

"I'm never the fighter, Nakuru," he reminded her.

"I know. You're a schemer."

"Know what, Nakuru? Stop hanging around with the Clow mistress and my cute little descendant too much. You're starting to add colorful words in your vocabulary."

"Eriol-kun, stop twisting around! You're not a human pretzel!" scolded Sakura.

"But these ants are going to eat me alive!" he hissed as he crushed the flimsy bodies of the red ants with the sole of his imported leather shoes. He found himself grinning with wicked satisfaction when he saw the smashed bodies of those freaking ants.

He and Sakura were positioned behind the bushes, waiting for Tomoyo to emerge from the church doors where she has her choir practice. Li was positioned on top of the tree with Spinel and Kero, serving as the look-out.

"Let them!" hissed Sakura back. The great reincarnation of Clow had unceremoniously stepped on her toenail for sixteen times since an hour ago.

"Why did we have to do this so early anyway? She won't be finished with her practice until fifteen minutes later!" he whined as he looked at the insect bites on his pale, creamy skin. His epidermis will never be the same again. Never.

"Because her practice might conclude earlier than expected!" she rationalized. "The early bird gets the worm, you know!"

"Or the ant," said Eriol, sighing.

"Hey, Eriol-kun! There she is!" said Sakura excitedly as she pulled Eriol. "She's coming out! See? I told you we should be early!"

Eriol couldn't understand what his friend was saying. All he could see was the glorious raven-haired girl with striking purple eyes and angelic face.

Slowly, he felt his courage drain.

__

Can I pull this off?

What if I faint or something before I can even get my act together? Good lord, help me!

But no time to think now, because Tomoyo Daidouji, the love of his life, was fast approaching. She was blissfully unaware of what monstrosity will happen to her, courtesy of Sakura and Nakuru's diabolical plans.

"Three, two, one…ACTION!!!" hissed Sakura. "Create card!!!"

Eriol shut his eyes tight. _Screw my stupid life run by my friends!_

Li watched as Sakura used the Create card, and several goons appeared. After giving out instructions, the goons nodded.

"You know, I still have this sinking feeling that something is about to wrong," he said, sighing.

"You're just being paranoid, you brat," said Kero. "I mean, what would go wrong? Sakura's a clow mistress, you know!"

"And not a very mature one," pointed Li. "I thought Hiiragizawa will be different. However, to my utter and complete dismay, he went with this stupid plan."

"It's not only my master who went with the stupid plan, you know," said Spinel, smiling vexingly.

His face flamed. "Shut up."

But deep within him, he knew that Tomoyo wouldn't like it when she learns about their plan. If there's one thing she doesn't like, it's being manipulated.

He sighed again. "Pray, Hiiragizawa. Just pray that everything will be fine."

Tomoyo was just walking home when she had this flash of alertness. She looked around.

__

My Sakura Sensor strikes again? But if she's here, where is she?

After another glance around her, she continued walking. She was sure her friend was around here. Maybe she'll bump into her later.

Then to her utter shock, several goons appeared on the path, blocking her way!

"Um…" _They don't look friendly neighbors from the Sesame street._

Suddenly, they lunged on her!

"OK, Eriol-kun, that's your cue!" hissed Sakura, pushing him out of the bushes. "Go save the damsel in distress!"

He wobbled out of the bushes and crashed on the cemented sidewalk. He shook his head, then realized in dismay that his vision was blurred. He touched his face.

"My glasses! I can't see without my glasses!"

Li slapped his hand on his face, sighing. "Damn it. I knew it. I KNEW IT!"

Kero sweatdropped. "I didn't know my master is such a klutz!"

Spinel snickered. "I wish I brought a camera with me, then I could have at least kept a souvenir of this." The feline could already imagine the look on its master's face when it shows him the picture of this stunt. A handy blackmail whenever he tells it to do household chores when it's engrossed on a book or napping.

"Hiiragizawa, stand up!" hissed Syaoran. "Damn, you suck!"

One goon suddenly noticed Eriol blindly groping on the sidewalk. Its mistress' instruction was to lunge on anyone who's on the sidewalk, since it cannot recognize people.

It made a u-turn away from Tomoyo and made a dash towards Eriol.

The girl saw this. "Hiiragizawa-kun!"

Sakura gasped. "Eriol-kun!" She went out from her hiding. She took her clow staff. "I am the cardcaptor, and I command you to return to your true form!"

Tomoyo was utterly at lost.

Soon, the creatures were gone. Only Sakura, Tomoyo, and the still groping Eriol were left on the sidewalk.

"Sakura-chan, w-what…?" mumbled Tomoyo, still in the state of shock.

"Um…" She sweatdropped, then suddenly she bowed. "Gomen! Eriol-kun will explain everything!" With that, she left the scene as if the dogs of Hades were after her.

Tomoyo turned to Eriol. "Hiiragizawa-kun?"

She knelt down in front of him, and noticed that he still had not noticed her. She then spotted what he was looking for. She picked it up gingerly with her fingers and placed it carefully on his face.

Eriol's vision cleared at once. He blinked when he saw Tomoyo's concerned face looking down at him. "Dai…Daidouji-san!!!" At once, he struggled to stand up, but tripped on his own foot. He fell on top of her, and if she didn't steady him, they would have both fell on the sidewalk.

He looked up again, then swallowed nervously. Their faces were so close…so intimately close…it was so easy to bridge the inches of air separating their faces.

Colors flooded the face of the girl. "H-Hai?"

"Y-You're safe?" he asked.

"Uh-huh."

__

Great, Hiiragizawa. Just great! She was suppose to be the damsel in distress and not you.

"Daidouji-san?" He cleared his throat nervously. _Say it now, you fool! Now is your chance!_

"Hai?"

But God obviously didn't love him that day. Because he suddenly felt his chest constrict as if it was going to explode!

"Screw it! My rotacaps!" he cried.

Of all the days that he had to suffer an asthma attack!

****

Eriol had an asthma attack? Was it triggered because of Tomoyo's perfume? Tomoyo's breath? Anyways, the conclusion of this short, short fic will be coming soon. How soon? Heaven knows. lol


	3. 3

"Are you fine now?" asked Tomoyo worriedly after Eriol's rapid breathing has slowed down.

"Y-Yes," gasped Eriol while silently cursing himself. Of all the stupid cosmic jokes fate can play on him, why this?

Why did he make a complete fool of himself in front of his inamorata?

Why did he have to an asthma attack just when things are starting to look good for him?

Damn the times that he absent-mindedly fondled Spinel when he was depressed.

Damn the times that he played on Nakuru's annoying heavily-scented perfumes.

Damn the times that he played "She loves me, she loves me not" on the flowers in his garden.

Damn, damn, damn.

"What is going on, Hiiragizawa-kun?" she wanted to know. "Why was there a Sakura card? And why did Sakura-chan leave you behind to explain? Don't tell me that you were the mastermind of all of these?"

"I'm not!" he yelped. "It wasn't my idea, honest! I was a victim of injustice too!"

Tomoyo sighed.

Up at the branches, Li Syaoran sighed too. "Bet you my pants that Daidouji is having a hard time digesting the words 'Eriol' and 'Victim of Injustice' in one sentence."

"Amen," agreed the pets.

Eriol brushed some bangs off his forehead as Tomoyo watched him. "In fact…this is your best friend's idea…and Nakuru's."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Diabolical minds…"

"But why did they conjure up such plan?"

His heart stopped beating. "P-Pardon me?" he croaked, looking queasy.

"I said, why did they plan such a thing?"

"W-Why? Ehehehe…um…w-why?" he stammered, cursing himself for his unintelligible mutterings.

"Yes, why?"

He stood up suddenly. "Ano…Daidouji-san…"

She stood up too.

He clenched his fists.

__

Damn, wimps must run in the family. Li is one, and I am too!

"Say it," hissed Sakura and Nakuru who were on the other tree, spying down on the suddenly shy Clow sorcerer. "Say it, say it!"

"Ssh!" hissed Li. "Leave the boy alone!"

"Suddenly you're on his side!" said Kero.

"I feel his pain," said the Li clan head indignantly. "I've gone through those sufferings too."

"Oh boy," said Spinel, rolling its eyes.

"Because…" prompted Tomoyo.

"Because…they want me to be a hero," he squeaked.

"What?!"

"What?!" gasped the spies too.

Nakuru looked like she wanted to tear her tresses off. "Master!!!"

Sakura, on the other hand, was on the verge of tears. "Oh Eriol-kun, after all those times that I thought I looked up to you…you _disappointed_ me!"

"Blue tights…muscle-hugging top, red cape, red underwear worn outside… with a big E on his chest," muttered Kero. "Super Eriol."

Spinel was quick to defend its master. "Idiot! That's a _super_ hero."

Li clenched his fists. "Screw you, Hiiragizawa! That is unbecoming of those who come from our bloodline!"

"Why would they want you to be a…hero?" asked Tomoyo curiously.

Eriol's back was still turned on her. "Because…I told them that I want to…" He faced her slowly. "…be close to you again."

Her eyes widened. "Ano-"

He looked down at the sidewalk, on its dirt, pebbles, and piece of chewed bubble gum, as if they would unlock the mystery of Eriol's sudden hero complex.

"It all started long, long ago…"

The spies on the treetop sweatdropped.

"He's not going to confess…he's going to tell her a bedtime fairy tale!" exclaimed Sakura. 

"We better do something before he puts the mistress to sleep!" added Nakuru.

Li raised his hand up to silence them. "Ssh. We'll wait and see. We have to trust Hiiragizawa on this. He can pull this off, I know."

"Or he can pull it off _apart_," muttered Nakuru.

"…After I saved you, I…accidentally…" Colors flooded the Clow reincarnation's face. "You…"

"You kissed me," said Tomoyo, voice blank.

He stared harder on the ground, hoping it would be enough to make the earth's fault lines do a rock and roll so there would be an earthquake, and the ground below him will swallow him whole so he wouldn't have to see Tomoyo's reaction after his confession.

Apparently, even the Geo-god hated his guts and had conspired with the whole cosmic universe to make him a laughingstock in front of the only woman who had managed to turn him upside down, inside out. The sidewalk was still a sidewalk, with its dirt, pebbles and chewed up bubblegum. It didn't even budge an inch.

Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. The word resounded mockingly in his mind. It seems that Tomoyo has not forgiven him yet.

"So what is its connection with this?" she asked.

"I-I then…realized…that….well…" He gulped nervously. "You are cool."

She blinked, and so did the people on the treetop.

"Suppi, we better get started on that self-esteem project we have for the master," said Nakuru, who jumped down. "I cannot tolerate watching this further."

"You're absolutely right for once, genderless nobody," said Spinel, joining its friend down.

"I'm coming with you!" said Sakura, taking Kero along. "Syao-kun, let's go."

"I'll join you later, my flower," he said, his eyes still trained on his technical ancestor.

She shrugged. "OK, pancakes." She kissed him on his cheek and jumped down.

"Thanks," said Tomoyo.

Eriol could vaguely make out shadows on a nearby tree retreating away. He knew those weren't just insects or animals. So they were watching him make a fool out of himself!

He promised himself that he would launch a counterattack on them tonight…but as for this time, he should get this over with. He knew Tomoyo was patient, but with how he was wearing precious minutes away, she might find the end of her infinite patience.

But at least he was sure that no one would be watching anymore. He found himself getting his courage back. "Daidouji-san, what I mean to say is…I want you…"

She was stunned. "Hiiragizawa-kun?"

"…to listen to me carefully," he said, crossing his fingers.

"Uh…ok."

"Um…for so many years…we stopped talking to each other…"

"Just get on with it!" yelled a familiar voice. "Tell her that you love her!"

The two stopped. Eriol turned around, to the direction of the tree. "MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS, YOU SON OF A GUN! I CAN'T TELL HER YET HOW MUCH I LOVE HER BECAUSE I'M SCARED TO DEATH! S-C-A-R-E-D!!!" he shouted.

"WHAT IF SHE REJECTS ME? WHAT IF SHE DECIDES THAT I'M A PERVERT? WHAT IF SHE THINKS THAT THE KISS IS NOT SIGNIFICANT TO ME?"

"Hiiragizawa-kun…" whispered Tomoyo.

Eriol paused, then slowly, painfully, turned around just as it dawned on him what he just did.

He confessed!

Damn, that was stupid.

"T-That was a quite a shock," said Tomoyo, smiling finally. "Why, I was just about to tell you that I want you too."

"You were?" he muttered feebly.

"Yeah. I never know that you were the slow one," she teased. "Actually, I've known that long ago."

"W-What?!" he yelped.

"Just kidding. Nakuru clued me into it yesterday."

__

"Tomoyo-chan!" said Nakuru cheerfully. "What time is your choir practice tomorrow?"

"Hmmm…" She gave her the time.

"Well, ok. See ya then!"

"Wait, Nakuru!" she called. "Why did you ask for my sked?"

"Well," The servant crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I'm not suppose to tell you. It's a secret. Mistress Sakura told me not to tell you anything."

"Really?"

"That's right!" said the moon servant proudly. "You'll never find out that we're planning to make my master confess to you that he loves you by tomorrow, after your practice!"

Eriol sweatdropped. "Damn!"

Tomoyo giggled. "Why can't you just tell it to me straight? Why do you have to make use of situations?"

"B-Because I'm scared!" he cried. "Because I don't want to hear rejections!"

"Loving is all about risking too," she reminded him.

"But I can't risk you!" he said. "I'd rather love you from afar than have you hate me and disappear from my life!"

"You…love me that much?"

He nodded dumbly. "With that said…I better go." His head was hung. "I'm sorry for bothering you…with those fake goons and all."

"I'm sorry too," she said softly.

Ouch! He felt like a spear pierced his heart!

"I thought you had more guts than that. Just when I thought I love you too…"said Tomoyo.

Eriol's eyes lit up. "S-Seriously?"

"I've never been more serious in my life," said the girl as she touched his shoulder. "Even if you're the farthest thing from my ideal knight in shining armor, you are still my hero. Because…because you love me so much. That's the noblest thing anyone can do for someone. For me."

"Yes!" Eriol pumped a fist in the air. "She _loves_ me!"

Li watched as Eriol hugged the equally happy Tomoyo.

All's well that ends well.

"You really don't have to be a hero to a woman by being a fighter…you can also be a hero to her for being her lover," he reflected. "I'm a hero too, just as Sakura always say."

"Too bad I forgot the camcorder. This would have been a great hit with the gang."

****

Yup, Li. Too bad! At least, I, Syaoran no Hime, recorded the events in this fic. Syaowee saves the day!

Anyway, thanks for reading!

Oops…it's the end already?_  
_


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